DNR suspects virus killed hundreds of carp

Carp in Ludden Lake, Marshall Millpond started turning up dead

Wisconsin fisheries experts suspect a virus played a role in the death of hundreds of carp in Iowa and Dane counties this month.

David Rowe is the Department of Natural Resources' fisheries team supervisor. He says carp in Ludden Lake near Mineral Point and Marshall Millpond in Marshall started turning up dead around the middle of June. He says hundreds died in both locations.

Rowe says the carp likely became infected with koi herpes virus during spawning and developed a secondary bacterial infection that did them in. Results from testing at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory are pending.

Rowe says the agency is unsure how the virus got into the water bodies. The DNR advises anyone cleaning up the dead fish to use a shovel or gloves.